Manziel emerges as leader in QB clubhouse

Among the Texans' brass who will determine the all-important No. 1 overall pick are COO Cal McNair, center, and general manager Rick Smith, both of whom were on hand for Johnny Manziel's pro day in March.

Among the Texans' brass who will determine the all-important No. 1...

COLLEGE STATION - Johnny Manziel lofted a perfect spiral, floating the football 60 yards downfield into Mike Evans' hands.

"Boom!'' Manziel shouted, the cue to begin playing the final song on the mix tape featuring his rapper friend Drake.

It was the big ending you would expect of Johnny Manziel's pro day on Thursday inside Texas A&M's indoor football facility, every detail scripted - perhaps even the fashionably late arrival of George H.W. Bush, Barbara and her two dogs - and performed to near perfection.

But if anyone has been keeping score of superlatives, Manziel emerged as the clear leader among quarterbacks available in the May 8-10 NFL draft. That includes Bridgewater and Central Florida's Blake Bortles, the other two presumably near the top of most team's boards.

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Gil Brandt, formerly the head of the Dallas Cowboys' scouting department when it was considered the NFL's best, said he had never seen a quarterback have a better pro day, with the possible exception of Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, selected first overall by St. Louis in 2010.

The NFL Network's Mike Mayock, considered one of the most knowledgeable player evaluators, said in 11 years he has never seen a quarterback have a bad pro day, with the possible exception of Bridgewater.

But he added Manziel's was exceptional.

"I think, if you're looking for confirmation, you got it today,'' he said.

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One thing certain is that a lot of people - and two dogs - were looking. An estimated 500 were inside the McFerrin Athletic Center for Manziel's pro day, which co-starred another sure first-round choice in Evans, and the event was televised nationally by ESPN and the NFL Network.

An NFL who's who

Among the crowd were 75 representatives from NFL teams, including eight head coaches and eight general managers. The Texans sent chief operating officer Cal McNair, general manager Rick Smith, coach Bill O'Brien, quarterbacks coach George Godsey and scouts.

Only Cleveland and Chicago among 32 teams sent no one, but the Browns are reportedly arranging for a private workout with Manziel, as are the Texans and others.

Manziel, as usual, was up for the occasion.

He wore his familiar No. 2 but with an unfamiliar black jersey and helmet and baggy camouflage shorts. The fact he wore a helmet at all - and shoulder pads - was unprecedented for a quarterback on his pro day. Manziel said he figured he might as well since he'd have to wear them on game days.

That's Manziel, the gamer.

"The atmosphere and everything that was involved and then to come out and perform like he did, that was great,'' Jacksonville coach Gus Bradley said. "I think that's no different from how he's performed all year, right? Perform under pressure. … That's Johnny Manziel.''

McNair called Manziel "magnetic.''

"When you get behind the center, you're going to be surrounded by 70,000 to 80,000 people. So you better be able to handle that, and he does that very well.''

Manziel completed 61 of 64 passes (one was dropped), which isn't a remarkable statistic in itself because all of the passes were repeatedly rehearsed for weeks and there were no defenders. George Whitfield, Manziel's private coach, occasionally tried to rattle Manziel by chasing him with a broom and throwing beanbags at him. J.J. Watt it wasn't.

What was it? It was Manziel taking snaps from under center, making three- and seven-step drops and throwing some difficult passes from the pocket, much of which, Brandt said, was "foreign to him.''

Arm must carry load

Mayock said the question now is whether Manziel can translate pro day to a pro game.

"I love what he can do from a spontaneous perspective,'' Mayock said. "I love what he does when a play breaks down. He has better arm strength than people thought he had. But at the next level, he's got to win in the pocket first.

"That goes against what he's done his whole life. He's been so good at beating people just with his legs that things get overlooked he doesn't do right. At the next level, that won't get overlooked.''

McNair said, "I thought he threw the ball great. It was nice to see him in a helmet and pads. It was a good day for him.''

A good day? Not a great one?

That might not be the ringing endorsement that fans who want the Texans to take Manziel with the No. 1 pick would like to hear. But they should look on the bright side. Manziel didn't do anything Thursday to make anyone think the Texans are not going to take him.